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OP
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How exactly are you supposed to play the octave glissando at the end of the Waldstein Sonata, 3rd movement?
Is it really supposed to be glissando? How would I go about practicing this?
Right now I play octaves really fast, but that doesn't sound quite right, at least compared to what I hear in recordings.
whatever
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I have the same question. I tried to do an octave glissando but it doesn't seem to work with me  .
Amateur Pianist, Scriabin Enthusiast, and Octave Demon
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That's a good question. I don't know either.
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Originally posted by jonny_sno:
How exactly are you supposed to play the octave glissando at the end of the Waldstein Sonata, 3rd movement? Arrau and Gilels played it glissando with the first joint of the thumb bent inwards. I used to do so as well when I was young. Meanwhile I prefer the execution of Brendel, described in Edition Peters 8479 "Musiker im Gespräch". He plays the octaves of the upper system with two hands and leaves away the upper notes of the octaves in the lower system. Many Russian pianists play it the same way. Don't worry - nobody will hear the difference. -------------- http://www.pianistenschule.de
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They're supposed to be glissandi, but remember piano's in Beethoven's day had much lighter actions than ours today so it wouldn't have been anywhere near as difficult on those instruments. Charles Rosen describes a novel approach to octave glissandi in his book 'Piano Notes', which involved lubricating the sides of the pins that the keys sit on.
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I can manage a (descending) octave glissando with the thumb curled and just lightly dragging the pad of my little finger across the keys, much like a descending third/whatever glissando (but with a different finger on the higher note). A lot of it is down to hand span, I can reach a major 10th, but I'd imagine that if you have a smaller handspan (like only just comfortable with an octave, or even a 9th) then it would be a lot more difficult.
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I just do what Arrau did...
So, you're a cannibal.
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Originally posted by florhof: Arrau and Gilels played it glissando with the first joint of the thumb bent inwards. I used to do so as well when I was young. Meanwhile I prefer the execution of Brendel, described in Edition Peters 8479 "Musiker im Gespräch". He plays the octaves of the upper system with two hands and leaves away the upper notes of the octaves in the lower system. Many Russian pianists play it the same way. Don't worry - nobody will hear the difference. -------------- http://www.pianistenschule.de [/QB] My hand span in the right hand is just over 7 inches, and I can barely play an octive, so using the thumb and maintaining an octave just won't work for me. I'll try the Brendal method - what do you mean by "leaves away the upper notes of the octaves in the lower system?" Do you mean he just plays single notes on the secord half of the section when he has to play the RH chords?
whatever
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There are a number of edited (non-urtext) editions that give alternative ways of playing this.
Semipro Tech
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Originally posted by jonny_sno:
what do you mean by "leaves away the upper notes of the octaves in the lower system?" Do you mean he just plays single notes on the secord half of the section when he has to play the RH chords? Exactly. Hope my English is not too bad.
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But there's no way around the octave glissando in the first concerto. 
There is no end of learning. -Robert Schumann Rules for Young Musicians
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Originally posted by Palindrome: But there's no way around the octave glissando in the first concerto. True...
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